Texgirly

Hello all - I have been a little off path with C25K, but I have been to the gym. I slowed way down for some reason. I have basically gone back to week one. Sorry for being such a slacker! But all of you are SOOO inspiring. Thanks for reporting your amazing efforts!

Hey - welcome to March 4th CTMan! Right there with you on the pre-surgery exercise. Everyone either says they did and were glad or they wish they had. I walk/ran 2 miles this morning. WHen I had my first consultation, they told me my 6 Diest Cokes/day would be an issue. I went cold turkey 2 days later. I tried one about 2 months after quitting and now I can't stand them. I don't even like most carbonated drinks now. Here is a funny thing - I sometimes accidentally order one when eating out. My DH justs laughs as I fumble with the waiter to fix it. Good luck with the Dr. Pepper. I started drinking coffee for the caffeine - that was brutal. But it is way more fashionable!

SarahKC - I would see my OBGYN (and not just for B12 but I will be checking in on that one!!!) As someone who has suffered with a cystic ovary and one huge fibroid tumor for years, I would seek the girly doc for this one. I have landed in the ER twice with those kinds of symptoms that turned out to be ruptured cysts. Had to do CT scans and such. Even had a surgery once to clean up the rouge ovary and another to remove the tumor. The good news is that while really painful and frustrating, it is not life threatening. And they can fix with birth control pills (if you can take them, I can't) I also tend to have a very constipated feeling, but no actual problem in that department with those symptoms. In fact, quite the opposite usually. My bad ER episodes have been about 5 years apart. The last was just this past Oct. So, the next time, I will let them have the darn thing. Hope this helps.

Alright Mom!! That is awesome. You have to let us know how it goes. Hopefully you will be a Marcher also. Rose City - I have only been in Vic for 3 years now. Don't know the folks you mentioned. Guys - we are all really close to only 1 month until surgery. How exciting! I have been working on my exercise - trying to get going to make recovery easier. In some of the other threads I am on, folks who have already been banded have said this is really smart. We have a month to get done what we can. What are doing to prepare?

Hey there. I am March 4th, too! 1 month and 1 day to go!!

For me it is SparkPeople all the way. User friendly and has a wealth of resources.

Hi all - I am in Feb Challenge on Sparkpeople, may as well keep track with all of you well. Love the tracking over there, but the boards over here. My plan: C25K - the three workouts/week and work in some additional workouts, maybe alternating swimming and elliptical on non-run days.

YEAH MINDY AND STRANGER!!!! You guys rock! Love the pic. And Mindy - with your time - there is all kinds of room for improvement. I can see the post now - you will be the expert in the group telling a bunch of newbies: "Yeah - the first 5K I did was hilly, I walked most of and I completed it in 50 minutes. But look where I am now. One year later and I ran the same 5K, same course, and I cut my time almost in half." Has anyone picked up Runner's world? I subscribed last year and love every issue. Always motivational and lots to learn. On another front - DH (6'2 270 lbs. carries it up top - way broad chest, great legs, big belly) who has always supported my LB endeavor has suddenly decided he needs to go ahead and lose some weight as well. I think our PCP may have had something to say about it. Never the less, I have a gym partner now. And since he loves South Beach - we have filled our house with great proteins and veggies - no more starches. YEAH!!

Mindy and Stranger - I am so jealous but I am on the recovery side of this mess so I am glad I am sitting out. I am going to try to get a few walking miles in at the gym today. Catch you in the next race. Speaking of that - are either of you thinking about the one on March 1 in Austin? I could do that and then that Tuesday after is LB day. Whosya - WOW! Now I really am jealous. For prospective - you have been running how long? This is definitely a work up to it goal. I just went back through our thread here to make sure I did not already ask Whosya about how long he has been running (that was the one I missed.) Man, we are a funny bunch and have covered a lot of ground. Sports bras, video games, running shoes, Ipods, workout music, etc. As someone on the verge of being banded, I have read a ton through all of the threads and I see your names all the time. What an encouraging group!! I am really glad I met all of you. And no - I am not crying but that did sound pretty sappy.

hey mom - I would check out some of the posts in insurance. You can even search just that thread for your ins. company for more details from someone who is or has been through it with them. I would also find out from your insurance co. exactly what they will require for this 5 year thing. I know I read at least 2 posts by someone who had to come up with a 5 year history. One of the post said he/she was able to track back their weight history through their PCP. Another one pulled her Weight Watchers records. (you might even try on search on 5 year eight history) Another consistent note you will find in those insurance posts is to be your own advocate. If you have to go to offices to help makes copies, do it. If you have to make the calls to the physicians, make them. Be very proactive. Even my surgeon's office told me that after they submitted, I would get more results by calling my insurance co myself than they would. Think of yourself as the insurance co's customer. They are no different than Best Buy then. Most people would expect service at Best Buy - expect it from your insurance co as well. Hope that helps.

Hey trinity and rosecity - yeah for both of you too. Iam sure you are like me and can't wait either. I am really excited for the next phase. I ahve real;ly been focusing on what I can eat, not what I need to exclude after the surgery. DH is all on board as well. He too needs to lose a few, but foe him it is different. It falls off him like rain! Rose - I am in TX too. In fact, DH use to work in Minola. We go back from time to time for a reunion. Beautiful little city you have there. Trinity - what part of FL are you? I lived in Miami Beach for 9 months back in 2000 for a job assignment. Beautiful, but I don't see myself living there again. I am pretty Southern and MB is not. Very NY or even international. I needed more accents to feel at home.

Good news and bad news. My surgery date is set - March 4th. YEAH! Bad news is that I am nearly down for the count. DH and I are on antibiotics. No energy. Couching. YUKE! I don't think I can pull off Saturday's race. Man I hate waisting the money/missing the race/ and most of all not getting to meet everyone! I am not nearly as sick as Mindy was with pneumonia, but I am afraid 3.1 miles is not going to happen. I will re-evaluate tomorrow and let you know.

Hey Sadie - I am one day behind you - only 1 day of clear liquids before surgery.

Howdy from Texas, Yvonne! This is a great forum. I have just been approved after a 6 month doctor supervised diet. I am so glad the insurance required the time. I have tried to read as much as possible and I have leaned so much. The other folks on here are so supportive and many are real motivators. Nice to meet you. Have fun!

Well, I have not run in a few days thanks to "the bug." I could not get enough sleep. But I have great news - I hold in my hands a letter from my insurance approving my surgery! :tt1: They received the request on 1/23 and the letter is dated 1/24. And the unhealthy bug is gone, so tomorrow back on the horse I go. Wombat - I am with you here in week 3. How long did everyone stay in week 3 - was it pretty much just 2 weeks? Just wondering.

Well, looks like I am the lone wolf on GEHA - Federal Employee insurance. The cool news is that today I got my approval letter. Yeah!!

Hey Heidi - Like you, I have not been banded yet. I watch the Complications posts and I have been making a questions lists for my surgeon. I am in the middle of insurance approval. Once I get past that and meet with my surgeon again, I will be asking these questions of my surgeon and his staff. To calm my fears, I also look at how many people here have had successful LBs. I think the rate of success is pretty good and the odds are in our favor. But I also feel for the folks here you have had bad experiences. There is real heartbreak in their posts sometimes. But I would rather be informed. Hope that helps some.

Whosya - Happy b-day! Have fun with the game and travel safe!!

Howdy all. Well, No running to report; the bug got me. I woke up all achy and such today. I plan on resting through the bug and get back on my feet in time to head to Austin next week. Hope everyone else is well!!

YEAH WANNA!!! Good job. And it does get easier. IMO, you got the hardest part out of the way - you started.

One - you guys are all very inspiring. As for being obsessed - I would rather wen (is that the right spelling? no clue.) myself off of running rather than cake and diet cokes any day of the week. Diet coke was hard to give up. Two - Theater! In the gym! And I thought we had it good with flat screens everywhere. Now I am jealous.

Thanks Mommy - I will try it! Good tip. Do you do the bike, then stretch, then hit the treadmill?

Wow yall! this morning I took off to the gym and thought I would never make it back out. I was about 2 minutes into the warm up when the most amazing shin splints popped up. I managed to finish the warm up and started stretching - wow it hurt!!:rolleyes2: MY shins and calves were on FIRE! So, after stretching, I worked my way to the treadmill and started the regular workout. After about 2 minutes, I started to run. Managed to get in about 1 minute then went back to walking. That was my minute of running and I walked the rest of the 20 minutes. When I was finished, my PT came over and we talked about it. He says it could just be one of those days, could be the new shoes, could be tired legs, lack of Breakfast, lack of hydration. Basically, he didn't have an answer other than to say I needed to go stretch really well. So I did. I can still feel it now to some extent. Low mileage day, but I did try.

OMG Whosya! The two of you are too cute on that cover. What an awesome journey for the two of you. I bet your girls are super proud.

Mindy - so sorry to hear the ill is spreading like wildfire in your home. Just rest and get better. If we have learned nothing from each other - running will always be there for you. Welcome Wanna! As you can tell from many of the posts - this is a great, supportive place - and we are all in different places in the program. Come on in!! Headed out to start week 3 tomorrow. I am excited to test the 3 minute mark. Ok - and a little scared, but mostly excited. I don't think I have shared this - kind of funny: My gym has a Biggest Loser contest going; me and my co-workers at Habitat formed a team - Building Babes! We build houses - and we are building babes. Told you it was kinda funny. Anyway, tomorrow morning is weigh in. I tested their scale on Sunday and it looks like I may be coming in 7 lbs. lighter than my first weigh in. Yippee! The contest is 2 months long and we are in week 3.